A functional PCA model for the study of time series of pressure maps.

Principal component analysis and functional regression are combined in a model to analyze a time series of pressure maps. The model is tested measuring the pressures over a chair seat while a subject performs a combination of simple movements. A sampling rate of 3 Hz is adequate for applying the model in sitting postures. The model is able to detect patterns of movement over time, although more variables are necessary if the movements produce similar pressure distributions.

Improving the Quality of Life of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Through ICTs.

Removing barriers to accessing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (IDPs) is crucial. Being excluded from ICTs implies being shut down from the information society, but also from accessing essential public services, as well as from the opportunity of living an independent life. The IdICT project has the general objective of increasing the competences of IDPs, their families and the professionals that work with them to exploit ICTs with a Quality of Life approach. To do that, a training platform and a training program has been developed and tested by IDPs, relatives and professionals in six European Countries.

Exploring user experience and technology acceptance for a fall prevention system: results from a randomized clinical trial and a living lab.

BACKGROUND: Falls are common in older adults and can result in serious injuries. Due to demographic changes, falls and related healthcare costs are likely to increase over the next years. Participation and motivation of older adults in fall prevention measures remain a challenge. The iStoppFalls project developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based system for older adults to use at home in order to reduce common fall risk factors such as impaired balance and muscle weakness. The system aims at increasing older adults' motivation to participate in ICT-based fall prevention measures. This article reports on usability, user-experience and user-acceptance aspects affecting the use of the iStoppFalls system by older adults. METHODS: In the course of a 16-week international multicenter study, 153 community-dwelling older adults aged 65+ participated in the iStoppFalls randomized controlled trial, of which half used the system in their home to exercise and assess their risk of falling. During the study, 60 participants completed questionnaires regarding the usability, user experience and user acceptance of the iStoppFalls system. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). For user experience the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was applied. User acceptance was assessed with the Dynamic Acceptance Model for the Re-evaluation of Technologies (DART). To collect more detailed data on usability, user experience and user acceptance, additional qualitative interviews and observations were conducted with participants. RESULTS: Participants evaluated the usability of the system with an overall score of 62 (Standard Deviation, SD 15.58) out of 100, which suggests good usability. Most users enjoyed the iStoppFalls games and assessments, as shown by the overall PACES score of 31 (SD 8.03). With a score of 0.87 (SD 0.26), user acceptance results showed that participants accepted the iStoppFalls system for use in their own home. Interview data suggested that certain factors such as motivation, complexity or graphical design were different for gender and age. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the iStoppFalls system has good usability, user experience and user acceptance. It will be important to take these along with factors such as motivation, gender and age into consideration when designing and further developing ICT-based fall prevention systems.

Can human movement analysis contribute to usability understanding?

Nowadays human-machine interfaces are evaluated using different methodologies. These methodologies rarely consider the human movements involved in the interaction, and if so, the movements are considered in a simplistic manner. Another often neglected aspect is the relationship between the learning process and the use of the interface. Traditional approaches of cognitive modeling consider learning as just one continuous process. However there is some current evidence of concurrent processes on different time scales. This paper aims to answer, with experimental measurements, if learning actually implies a set of concurrent processes, if those processes are related to the coordinative aspects of hand movement, and how this can vary between young adult and elderly users. Two different interfaces, a washing machine and a domotic system, were analyzed with 23 and 20 people, respectively, classified as men or women and elderly (over 55) or adult (between 40 and 50). The results of the study provide support for the existence of different concurrent processes in learning, previously demonstrated for motor tasks. Moreover, the learning process is actually associated with changes in movement patterns. Finally, the results show that the progression of the learning process depends on age, although elderly people are equally capable of learning to use technological systems as young adults.

Comparison of functional regression and nonfunctional regression approaches to the study of the walking velocity effect in force platform measures.

The effect of walking velocity on force platform measures is examined by means of functional regression and nonfunctional regression analyses. The two techniques are compared using a data set of ground reaction forces. Functional data analysis avoids the need to identify significant points, and provides more information along the waveform.

Facilitación de la vida cotidiana mediante el diseño y la selección adecuada de tecnologías de apoyo para personas mayores con dependencia funcional / Making easy everyday life with an appropriate selection and design of assistive products for elderly people with functional dependency

El entorno diseñado para una persona joven se convierte en discapacitante para una persona mayor con limitaciones funcionales. La calidad de vida se relaciona directamente con la capacidad de realizar actividades de la vida diaria, ya sean básicas, instrumentales o avanzadas. Las limitaciones funcionales consecuencia de "situacionesde discapacidad", o del propio proceso de envejecimiento, llevan a un gran grupo de personas a diferentes grados de dependencia debidos, en buena medida, a la falta de adecuación de los entornos donde viven, y productos que los componen, a sus necesidades y características reales. Las tecnologías de apoyo, contribuyen a mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas mayores dependientes, aumentando su autonomía personal, y también la del cuidador que ve reducida la necesidad de realizar sobreesfuerzos. Este artículo presenta información sobre el proceso de diseño y criterios de selección de las tecnologías de apoyo para personas dependientes mayores. En él se hace referencia a las claves que permitirán que el diseño y selección de las tecnologías de apoyo sea exitoso, incidiendo en el desarrollo de una metodología adecuada. En el apartado de resultados se muestran, en primer lugar, las consecuencias de diseños inadecuados y para finalizar cómo una concepción del producto basada en el conocimiento del usuario hace efectivo el uso de las tecnologíasde apoyo

Environments designed for young people will become disabling environments for elderly person with functional limitations. Quality of life is directly related to the ability to perform activities of daily living (basic, instrumental or advanced). Functional limitations as a consequence of "disabling situations" or the aging process, drive a great number of people to different degrees of depence. This is due in lot of the cases to a bad matching of the requirements and user real characteristics with the environment and its products. Assistive technologies contribute to improve quality of life of dependent people, increasing their autonomy, and their careers (by reducing their superhuman efforts). This article presents information about the design process, and the selection criteria of assistive devices for elderly people. Key points and methodologies are referred to make possible the success of the design and selection of assistive devices.The results present examples of good practice showing the outputs of unsuitable designs and how the conception of a product based on user knowledge empowers the use of assistive devices